Daily Republican., 1887-09-27
4 CHAT WITH JOHN wAMAnAxEH
uomparison WIN rresrsss o. TIM tide
u the At,snsse ana "Conssrvssisua" on
to Other.

Looking - brown ~ . berry, and
with the old time sparkle In his eyes,
betokening . renewal Of health and
visor, John Wannmaker has returned
home, after brief Earopean trip which
was taken more for rest and relaxation
than for sightseeing or business pur
poser. He wss seated yesterday In his
cosy and luxuriously appointed private
office, on the second stery OF the big on.
tlspot at Thirteenlh and Market streets,
giving audience In his rapid and Char.
scteristic way 10 . throog Of callers,
when . Public Ledger reporter dropped
In to welcome him homo, and have o
quiet Chat aboat tho great merch anti a
views OF mltters ''on the other side" OF
the ocean.
my trip has built mo mp wonder
fully, and I feel Ike taking hold
again." said be. Indeed, 1t has done
me 10 much good that insisted on our
Mr. Ogden going TOO. I've just left
him At the Broad street depot. Hes of
for New York, and 10 going 10 Europe
by the same ateamer In which I re
turned"
Yes" he continued. smiling, "I've
had quite number OF visitors. all oi
them full OF kind words and good
wishes towards me, and for which, OF
course, I'm very grateful. On the
very night after my return home l WAS
waited on by three or four reporters
from as many different papers, who
wanted me TO say something about
what saw in Enalsnd and other Ea.
ropcan countries, but the trip across
has become 30 very common thAt
there's, literally speaking, nothing new
to talk about, 1T least 90 far ~ those
countries themselves are concerned"
"What do think Of the Centennial
celebration and Its effects on our trade,
both at home and abroad? That's o
rather comprehensive question. l re-
gret very much that I did not see iS,
but the Public Ledger's accounts OF II
have, I've heard, been 30 complete and
~ usual, % accurate that . perusal ot
them will make me oonversant with all
that took place during she three days
that IL lasted.
"The civic and Industrial parade
must have been something extrsordi
Darily remarkable, even for this greA,
and progressive country. l see from II
every room for hope and, In fact, Of
confidence In the belief that In time the
United States will largely absorb the
business of the world, and In that Ab
sorption, Philadelphis will assured y
come In for the lions share.
"Here we've prospered In everything
that We have undertaken, and TO day
We stand at least one hundred years
ahead of the countries of Continental
Europe-not osly In our Improvements
In telegrspby and All the mechanical
arts, but In everything that goes to
make O nation en- inently great, pros.
porous and permanent. Whil-t they
have held on with . strange and vise'
like teuacity to their old habits and old
Ways Of work, we've gone on chang z,
altering, amending, always improving.
"There the workman Of to-day uBes
the crude implements and machinery
OF years ago-things which We have
long since discarded and replaced with
Improved tools and machinery capable
OF doing infinitely more and better
work, and producing larger and more
profitable returns Again, they rarely
II ever, change their patterns, and some
OF them call this conservatism. Is II
any wonder, then, that the workman,
who olings to his old-faehioned pat terms,
looms and tools, Is badly left In the
march OF progress and civilization? Or,
that the number Of his patrons and the
prices Of his goods are constantly lessen
ing?
hDon't forget another point-while he
gets less for The products OF his sk Ill, We
get considerable more, and We pay
about the same amount, possibly very
M much less for the crude article Than be
does. Take 1t any way you like, view
IL In any phase that you please, your
conclusion will undoubtedly be that the
country In which such state Of thinRs
exists cannot keep pace with nation
whose citizens are more enlightened
aud more enterprisinR.
"Oi the great nations of Europe Ger
many is, to my mind, far ahead of all
others, and, under the admirable and
wise measures proposed and fostered by
Bismarck, It is rapidly leaving France
and England behind. Its industries are
great, multiplying and progressive both
In their number. character and capacity.
so much have | been struck with these
facts that I've started large factory
there, and, although only twelve
month old, it is producing very salts
factory returns. Germany is taking away
much OF the French trade, and Ia con
tinually on the lookout for improvements
In the methods of manufacturing hel
stuffs and fabrics and In her designs.
"The past glory OF country will moi
suffice to enable her to maintain her posi-
tion among the nations of the earth. She
must have something more material,
more substantial to fall back upon in
case of need than the martial deeds oi
her heroes of centuries ago Her farmers
must not cling to their antiquated imple
ments of agriculture, or the weavers,
mechanics or designers to their old
machinery and patterns. They are doing
SO now, and II they continue In that
course the end is plain and inevitable.
"What of England She is almost as
bad In these respects to day as any other
country. The sons of prosperous families
don't care to do ss their fathers did.
They dislike the workshop and factory, or
the idea OF being connected with iron
works, mining or trade In any form,
They all want to 90 to Parliament. The
workshops, with q few exceptions, are
consequently left in the hands and under
the control of their workmen, and what
Incentive have they to make improve
ments In the work that is before themf'
&c Vuld they make such an improve
menti Az rule II would be next to i'm
possible for them to do so, for where edu-
cation is largely wanting much intelli
gence cannot be expected. Take another
view-Btsmarck has enforced the prohibi
tory tariff, England has not Germany
is becoming more prosperous and power
iul day by day. Is England in the SAME
posit on Is she keeping pace will
her?"
This celebration, If 1t does nothing
else, will set those people to talking and
thinking about US, and about our Consli
tuition, the adoption of which, after ont
hundred years experience of Its beneh-
cence, We have 80 loyalty and emphatical,
ly affirmed. Good ret ults from that will
| iOllnW do not eYnect those rpsIIlta sc